BUFFALO, NY – Frederick Scott (Munster, IN/Simeon [DePaul]) and Tyere Marshall (Philadelphia, PA/Martin Luther King/Putnam Science) both posted double-doubles, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell at Canisius, 77-76, in its league opener Friday night at the Koessler Athletic Center. With the loss, the Broncs slip to 7-6 (0-1 MAAC), while the Griffs are now 7-7 (1-0 MAAC).
 
Canisius used a 15-3 spurt in the first half to create a double-digit cushion, hitting on nine of its first 12 field-goal attempts in the process. The Griffs' lead reached 10 on four occasions and the Broncs whittled it down to six at the break, 46-40. Canisius shot 54.5 percent (18-33) in the first half to Rider's 44.1 percent (15-34).

Trailing 58-50, Rider went on a 14-0 run, including seven of Scott's 17 second-half points to take its largest lead of the game, 64-58, with just over 10 minutes remaining. But Canisius gradually whittled away at the deficit and held the Broncs without a field goal for the final five and a half minutes of regulation. Jonathan Sanks was the beneficiary of a whistle with 39 seconds remaining and three seconds left on the shot clock. He made 1-of-2 free throws for what proved to be the decisive point in the 77-76 Canisius win. Still with time, the Broncs couldn't convert inside, but retained possession with 2.4 seconds remaining. However, Anthony Durham's (Philadelphia, PA/Abington/Putnam Science) baseline jumper wouldn't fall.   

Quotes & Notes
"Durham was actually supposed to curl to the basket. It was actually designed for Freddy to come off a screen. But Durham had an open look at it."

"It came down to free throws and execution. We missed a lay-up, where we don't have to shoot a free throw. It's the details. It's the little things that will get you beat every game."

"It's just a mental thing. Guys have to have something about them to step up and make free throws when the game is on the line. It's something about you. It's your DNA. You've got to be able to step up and make free throws with confidence. You've got to know that if you're going to be in the game and you're going to be fouled that you're going to make free throws. We work on it. There's no excuses at all. You've got to make free throws."   – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett
 
- Canisius has now won two straight against Rider, but trails the all-time series with the Broncs, 34-13.
- The Broncs are now 11-10 all-time in MAAC openers and 3-3 under Kevin Baggett.  
- This was the second-consecutive Rider game decided by one point, following the Broncs' 71-70 win at Penn State on Dec. 22.
- Rider is now 2-3 in games decided by five points or less in 2017-18.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Scott finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, with 17 of the 19 points coming in the second half. He made 6-of-11 field-goal attempts.
- Marshall went for 13 points on 5-of-7 from the floor and grabbed 11 rebounds.
- The double-doubles were the team-leading fourth of the year for both Scott and Marshall.
- Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Calloway) added 16 points and six rebounds. He made 7-of-8 free-throw attempts.
- The rest of the Broncs combined to make 11-of-23 free-throw attempts.  
- Stevie Jordan (Bensalem, PA/Conwell-Egan/API) also added 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
- Rider limited Canisius to 33.3 percent (10-30) from the floor in the second half after the Griffs knocked down 54.5 percent (18-33) in the first half.